Tone-regulating tool.



No. 700,200. Patented May 20, I902.

F. HOOVER.

TUNE REGULATING TOOL.

(Application filed May 6, 1901.)

(N0 Model.)

m: Nunms PEYERS 00., PHGTOLlTNO-.WASH1NGTON, n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANKLIN HOOVER, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

TONE-REGULATING TOOL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 700,200, dated May 20, 1902.

O Application filed May 6, 1901. Serial No. 58,994. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANKLIN HOOVER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tone-Regulatinglools, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention has reference to a novel type of tool particularly designed in use for softening hammers in upright pianos, whereby a better tone will be produced by the instruments; and the invention consists in the novel construction of the tool and the peculiar arrangement and combination of its various parts, as will be hereinafter set forth.

I In the drawings illustrating my invention, Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of the tool, showing the same applied to a piano-hammer. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the sof- "tening device.

The reference-letter A designates the toolhandle, comprising a section B, arched at its outer end, as indicated, and provided with a tubular head 0, which extends forwardly from the extreme outer end.

1) represents a complementary handle-section having a lost-motion connection with the arched section at a point above thehead, the connection being in the form of alink a, pivoted to each of the two handle-sections, as indicated. E designates a shank engaging the tubular head and projecting beyond the opposite ends of the latter, the shank extending beyond the forward end of the head a considerable dis tance and carrying the jaw member F. The inner shank end is pivoted at b to thehandlesection D.

G is thecomplementary jaw, adj ustably secured upon the tubular head by a suitable clamping-screw c.

The jaw F, as shown, is provided with a recess or socket H, in which is arranged an apertured block I, the block being held in place within the socket by means of a set-screw J. Extending through the perforations in the block are a plurality of headed pins K, the pin-heads contacting with the walls of the socket and being prevented by the wall from displacement.

In use the tool is applied to the piano-hammer to be softened in the manner indicated in Fig. 1, and upon actuating the movable jaw member by means of the handle-sections the needle-points are driven within the felt, thus softening the latter and producing the results desired. To permit of the more ready operation of the tool, I employ a coil-spring L, arranged intermediate the outer end of the tubular head and a collarlll'. upon the shank, which spring serves to separate the jaw members, thereby automatically withdrawing the needle-points from the hammer.

It will be obvious from the construction of the tool that the latter may be readily applied to the hammer and in such a way that the hand of the operator will be in a convenient position for operating the tool.

That I claim as my invention is 1. In a tone-regulating tool, the combination with a stationary jaw, of complementary handle-sections at one side of said jaw, the latter being carried by one of the sections, an outer movable jaw upon the opposite side of and spaced from the stationary jaw, an operative connection between said movable jaw and the other handle-section, and a plurality of inwardlyextending pointed projections carried by the movable jaw.

2. In a tone-regulating tool, the combination with a stationary jaw, of complementary handle-sections at one side of the jaw and extending downwardly in angular relation thereto, a connection between said jaw and one of the handle-sections, a movable jaw upon the opposite side of and spaced from the stationary jaw, an operative connection between said movable jaw and the complementary handlesection, and a plurality of inwardly-extending pointed projections carried by the 1novable jaw.

3. In a tone-regulating tool, the combination with the pivoted handle-sections, of a tubular head carried by one of said sections, an inner stationary jaw mounted upon and fixedly secured to the head, an outer movable jaw carrying a plurality of inwardly-extending pointed projections and provided with a shank extending through and adapted to be reciprocated within the tubular head, and a connection between the inner shank end and the other handle-section.

4. In a tone-regulating tool, the combination with an arched handle-section terminating at its outer end in a forwardly-projecting tubular head, of a complementary handle-section pivoted to the arched section, a stationary jaw adjustably secured upon the head, a shank extending through and beyond the tubular head carrying a jaw at its outer end, a plurality of pointed projections extending inward from the jaw on the shank, a connection between the inner shank end' and the complementaryhandle-section, and aispring upon the shank acting normally to spread the jaws.

5. In a tone-regulating tool, the combination with a stationary jaw, of complementary jections carried by the said movable jaw.

In testimony whereof I allix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANKLIN HOOVER. \Vitnesses:

L. J. WI-HTTEMORE, II. (3. SMITH. 

